Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Advantage: McIroy

So Team A-Game kinda went down in flames over the weekend at Kiawah Island. I'm not sure Secretariat could have kept pace with the blossoming thoroughbred named Rory McIlroy.

It was another command performance by the 23-year-old Northern Irishman, who added an 8-shot PGA Championship victory to his 2011 U.S. Open win of the same margin and, hopefully, ended titillating speculation that his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, is bad for his game. For now, I'm holding off on the obvious Tiger Woods comparisons. But they're certainly worth exploring.

As for Woods himself, it was deja vu all over again at the Ocean Course. Two solid rounds and a spot at or near the top of the leaderboard, followed by a weekend of mediocrity. In a rare and welcome bit of candor, Tiger admitted to pressing in the majors this year -- exactly as I and many others suspected. Granted, it was pretty obvious...

The majors are over, the Ryder Cup coming up. And we may soon hear from the USGA and R&A on the future legality of anchored putters. How long can Webb Simpson, Ernie Els, Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley hold their collective breath?

If long wands are banned, McIlroy gains further advantage over his peers. Just what the young fella needs.